discuss Science & Technology news & discussion

CraigD · Oct 19, 2020

Post and discuss interesting articles & videos about science and technology.

You don't need to be an expert - just interested in the wonders of modern science, technology, and the history of these fields.

Please keep it rational, and post articles from reputable sources.
Try not to editorialise headlines and keep the copy to just a paragraph with a link to the original source. When quoting excerpts from articles, I think the best method is to italicise the copy, and include a link to the source.

Have some fun with your comments and discussions... just keep the sources legitimate.

Other threads:
The Break Room has a number of other popular threads, so there is no need to post material here that is better suited to these other threads:

- Covid19-Coronavirus updates and news
- Conspiracy Thread Free For All
- The *religious* discussion thread

Please enjoy!

Cal2 · Jan 1, 2021

koolishman said:
Hearing this after a long time.

Thank you.

Glad it served.

I came across a copy the other day while cleaning up my home office, and thought it's something I'm going to read and listen to at the beginning of each day for the next while, to stay in tune with what I want and should be doing more of with my existence in 2021. (Desiderata ~ 'Things that are desired')

Fyi, I was adjusting a bit that Desiderata copy this morning - making it more personalized/relevant to my current situation. Eg. I gave the line "Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit" its own space at this time, to emphasize one thing I should be doing more of when it comes to some others.

Current draft:

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant - they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. Do not distress yourself with dark imaginings; many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

CraigD · Jan 1, 2021

Cal2 said:
Glad it served.

I came across a copy the other day while cleaning up my home office, and thought it's something I'm going to read and listen to at the beginning of each day for the next while, to stay in tune with what I want and should be doing more of with my existence in 2021. (Desiderata ~ 'Things that are desired')

Fyi, I was adjusting a bit that Desiderata copy this morning - making it more personalized/relevant to my current situation. Eg. I gave the line "Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit" its own space at this time, to emphasize one thing I should be doing more of when it comes to some others.

Current draft:

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant - they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. Do not distress yourself with dark imaginings; many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

There's an interesting history behind Desiderata:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desiderata

Thanks

CraigD · Jan 1, 2021

NASA have launched a new video showcasing their goals for the exciting year ahead!

NASA 2021: Let's Go to the Moon

Sending the first Artemis mission to the Moon in preparation for human missions, landing a new rover on Mars, and launching the James Webb Space Telescope into space, expanding our ability to see deep into the universe, are just a few of the things NASA has planned for 2021.

I'm most excited about the Artemis I mission and hope NASA can keep on track for the November 2021 test flight to the Moon and back.

Which program or mission(s) are you looking forward to this year?

Cal2 · Jan 1, 2021

CraigD said:
There's an interesting history behind Desiderata:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desiderata

I see Leonard Nimoy once made Desiderata part of a record album titled 'Spock Thoughts'. Must've been because it seems so 'logical'.

Although he did replace 'Be cheerful' at the end with 'Be careful' - which I gather became an alternative for some. If one is flying space, I could see being careful as important.

Cal2 · Jan 1, 2021

CraigD said:
Which program or mission(s) are you looking forward to this year?

I'd be especially interested right now in whatever programs or missions there are that (truly) promote 'space for humanity'. I don't know if there are any such planned for this year. Or any upcoming year.

CraigD · Jan 1, 2021

Cal2 said:
I'd be especially interested right now in whatever programs or missions there are that (truly) promote 'space for humanity'. I don't know if there are any such planned for this year. Or any upcoming year.

SpaceX Axiom Space-1: Axiom Space and SpaceX plan to send tourists to the ISS in late 2021 using a Dragon 2 spacecraft.
Space Adventures Crew Dragon mission: Space Adventures and SpaceX plan to send up to four tourists to low Earth orbit for a few days in late 2021 or early 2022.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_tourism

CraigD · Jan 2, 2021

2020 in space: So many reasons to celebrate in an otherwise terrible year

Comets and planets and (Crew) Dragons. Oh my!

https://www.cnet.com/news/2020-in-space-so-many-reasons-to-celebrate-in-an-otherwise-terrible-year/

CraigD · Jan 2, 2021

Australia has lots of ancient volcanoes. But how did they form?

Massive volcanoes, such as those in the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire", usually occur near the edges of tectonic plates as one plate slips beneath another. But Australia is bang in the middle of a tectonic plate. Just how these volcanoes formed away from the edge of a tectonic plate is a mystery, but scientists have come up with a new theory.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science...lcanoes-form-geology-cradle-mountain/12987192

CraigD · Jan 2, 2021

This Epic Space Cloud Is Nicely Summing Up Our Farewell to 2020

Sometimes, the Universe provides just the perfect method for expressing our feelings.

A space cloud 7,500 light-years away has given us the most appropriate farewell we can think of for this whole dumpster fire of a year, 2020.

https://www.sciencealert.com/this-epic-space-cloud-is-nicely-summing-up-our-farewell-to-2020

koolishman · Jan 2, 2021

CraigD said:
This Epic Space Cloud Is Nicely Summing Up Our Farewell to 2020

Sometimes, the Universe provides just the perfect method for expressing our feelings.

A space cloud 7,500 light-years away has given us the most appropriate farewell we can think of for this whole dumpster fire of a year, 2020.

https://www.sciencealert.com/this-epic-space-cloud-is-nicely-summing-up-our-farewell-to-2020

LOL!

Apt.

koolishman · Jan 2, 2021

There's Mounting Evidence That Life on Earth Started With More Than Just RNA

How life originated on Earth continues to fascinate scientists, but it's not easy peering back billions of years into the past. Now, evidence is growing for a relatively new hypothesis of how life began: with a very precise mix of RNA and DNA.

RNA and DNA both determine the genetic make-up of all biological life, with DNA acting as a genetic blueprint and RNA as a blueprint reader or decoder. For a long time, it was thought that RNA developed on Earth first, with DNA evolving afterwards – but mounting evidence suggests they may have emerged at the same time and both been involved in kickstarting life on the planet.

The latest study to back up this idea explains how the simple compound diamidophosphate (DAP) – which may have predated life on Earth – can knit together DNA building blocks called deoxynucleosides into basic DNA strands.

"We found, to our surprise, that using DAP to react with deoxynucleosides works better when the deoxynucleosides are not all the same but are instead mixes of different DNA letters such as A and T, or G and C, like real DNA," says chemical biologist Eddy Jiménez, from Scripps Research.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.202015910

koolishman · Jan 2, 2021

Study of More Than 1 Million People Finds Intriguing Link Between Iron Levels And Lifespan

A massive study published in 2020 found evidence that blood iron levels could play a role in influencing how long you live.

It's always important to take longevity studies with a big grain of salt, but the research was impressive in its breadth, covering genetic information from well over 1 million people across three public databases. It also focused on three key measures of ageing: lifespan, years lived free of disease (referred to as healthspan), and making it to an extremely old age (AKA longevity).

Put simply, having too much iron in the blood appeared to be linked to an increased risk of dying earlier.

While correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation, the researchers used a statistical technique called Mendelian randomisation to reduce bias and attempt to infer causation in the data.

www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17312-3

CraigD · Jan 2, 2021

Isaac Asimov talks about superstition, religion and why he teaches rationality

This was recorded in 1988. He also explains why some people who think that we should abandon science are wrong and how scientific worldview is the best.

koolishman · Jan 2, 2021

Bertrand Russell's Advice for Future Generations from a 1959 BBC interview

Cannuck · Jan 2, 2021

CraigD said:
Australia has lots of ancient volcanoes. But how did they form?

Similarly, on the Canadian Shield there are mountains formed by ancient volcanos dating between 1.1 to 2.5 billion years old, some of the oldest remains on the earth surface. Magma flowed from the mantle between cracks in the different age layers. The harder igneous caprock sill protects the softer layers below which have since eroded through glaciation and weathering. The basin that was scoured by glaciers and filled after the last ice age to form Lake Superior, the largest inland lake in the world (560km long, 250km wide)

CraigD · Jan 2, 2021

Cannuck said:
Similarly, on the Canadian Shield there are mountains formed by ancient volcanos dating between 1.1 to 2.5 billion years old, some of the oldest remains on the earth surface. Magma flowed from the mantle between cracks in the different age layers. The harder igneous caprock sill protects the softer layers below which have since eroded through glaciation and weathering. The basin that was scoured by glaciers and filled after the last ice age to form Lake Superior, the largest inland lake in the world (560km long, 250km wide)

Thanks!

The most recent eruption in Canada took place at Lava Fork in northwestern B.C. about 150 years ago. The last big explosive eruption in Canada took place 2350 years ago at Mount Meager, and the ash layer from this eruption can still be found as far away as Alberta.
https://chis.nrcan.gc.ca/volcano-volcan/can-vol-en.php

Some informative links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanism_of_Canada
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_volcanoes_in_Canada
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/canada.html

https://www.britannica.com/place/North-America/The-Canadian-Shield
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/shield

CraigD · Jan 2, 2021

Adobe Flash Player Says Goodbye as the Service Permanently Shuts Down Before the New Year

Adobe has launched its final update for Flash Player, and is now solemnly offering farewells to the millions of users that have benefited from it over the years.

Most of us were probably aware that Adobe Flash was going to be leaving us rather soon, but a lot of users are not ready to accept this fact. Google Chrome and other browsers have been flashing warnings since the start of the year, warning users that they will stop supporting Flash as soon as the new year rolls by. Adobe itself released a notice on the 8th of this year, published with the final Flash update for regions outside of China. The notice stated that Adobe will stop supporting Flash Player after December 31st, and will only support content running on the platform until January 12th, 2021.

https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2021/01/adobe-flash-player-says-goodbye-as.html

CraigD · Jan 2, 2021

Flying Humans Back To The Moon

Let's take a look at Artemis, Gateway, Lunar orbits, and how to safely get humans onto the surface of the Moon and back to Earth.

CraigD · Jan 2, 2021

Calls from the deep: do we need to Save the Whales all over again?

Produced by marine biologist Dr Roger Payne from audio of male humpbacks singing off the coast of Bermuda, Songs of the Humpback Whale had been a surprise hit with the public, and remains the only multiplatinum-selling album of animal sounds. It also announced a scientific breakthrough: Payne and his team had found that whales don’t just call but actually sing to each other, in slowly repeating patterns.

But in 2020, 50 years on from the release of the album, whales are once again in the global headlines for all the wrong reasons.

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...-do-we-need-to-save-the-whales-all-over-again

CraigD · Jan 2, 2021

Science and technology of the Casimir effect

Caused by simple fluctuations in space, the Casimir effect may validate theories of the cosmological constant and allow for measurements of ultrasmall magnetic fields.

In its simplest form, the Casimir effect is an attractive interaction between two uncharged and perfectly conducting plates held a short distance apart—usually less than a micron. Classically, the only attractive force acting between such plates should be gravity. But that’s vanishingly small for microscale objects. In 1948 theorist Hendrik Casimir predicted the existence of the now eponymous force on the scale of a few hundred piconewtons when the plates are held 100 nm apart. Seen experimentally many times, the force is a nanoscale phenomenon that arises from quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic vacuum.

https://physicstoday.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/PT.3.4656

CraigD · Jan 3, 2021

The Most Incredible Groundbreaking Results From Space Station Science in 2020

Dozens of experiments are going on at any given time aboard the International Space Station. Research conducted in 2020 is advancing our understanding in areas of study from Parkinson’s disease to combustion.

https://scitechdaily.com/the-most-i...g-results-from-space-station-science-in-2020/

CraigD · Jan 3, 2021

New Data Supports the Modified Gravity Explanation for Dark Matter, Much to the Surprise of the Researchers

Dark matter is an extremely good theory. It’s supported by a wealth of observational and computational data, which is why it’s part of the standard model of cosmology. But dark matter hasn’t been directly observed, so sometimes even strong supporters of dark matter are motivated to look at the alternatives.

The most popular alternative is known as Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MoND), also known as modified gravity. The evidence we have for dark matter assumes that our understanding of gravity is correct. Both Newtonian gravity and general relativity have been strongly confirmed by observations, so the dark matter assumption is perfectly reasonable. But MoND assumes that on a fundamental level our understanding of gravity is slightly wrong.

Overall this is a fascinating study. It doesn’t disprove dark matter, since numerous studies support the effects of dark matter, but it does support an aspect of modified gravity. It’s an unexpected result, and it needs to be studied further. MoND has long been out of favor among astronomers, but this study shows we shouldn’t believe the legend of its fall quite yet.

https://www.universetoday.com/14941...tter-much-to-the-surprise-of-the-researchers/

CraigD · Jan 3, 2021

koolishman said:
Study of More Than 1 Million People Finds Intriguing Link Between Iron Levels And Lifespan

A massive study published in 2020 found evidence that blood iron levels could play a role in influencing how long you live.

It's always important to take longevity studies with a big grain of salt, but the research was impressive in its breadth, covering genetic information from well over 1 million people across three public databases. It also focused on three key measures of ageing: lifespan, years lived free of disease (referred to as healthspan), and making it to an extremely old age (AKA longevity).

Put simply, having too much iron in the blood appeared to be linked to an increased risk of dying earlier.

While correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation, the researchers used a statistical technique called Mendelian randomisation to reduce bias and attempt to infer causation in the data.

www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17312-3

This got me thinking. A relative of mine is over one-hundred years old, with nothing wrong with her except that she requires iron injections every few months.

CraigD · Jan 3, 2021

Happy Perihelion Day

At its closest point, Earth swings to within 91,399,453 miles (147,093,162 km) of the sun. That’s in contrast to six months from now, when the Earth reaches aphelion – its most distant point – on July 5, 2021. Then we’ll be 94,510,889 miles (152,100,533 km) from the sun.

In other words, Earth is roughly 3 million miles (5 million km) closer to the sun in early January than it is in early July. That’s always the case. Earth is closest to the sun every year in early January, when it’s winter for the Northern Hemisphere.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/earth-comes-closest-to-sun-every-year-in-early-january

lock · Jan 3, 2021

CraigD said:
Happy Perihelion Day

At its closest point, Earth swings to within 91,399,453 miles (147,093,162 km) of the sun. That’s in contrast to six months from now, when the Earth reaches aphelion – its most distant point – on July 5, 2021. Then we’ll be 94,510,889 miles (152,100,533 km) from the sun.

In other words, Earth is roughly 3 million miles (5 million km) closer to the sun in early January than it is in early July. That’s always the case. Earth is closest to the sun every year in early January, when it’s winter for the Northern Hemisphere.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/earth-comes-closest-to-sun-every-year-in-early-january

slip on a shirt
slop on some sunscreen
slap on a hat
and don't worry too much about Russian satellights.

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