David is concerned about the Large Hardon Collider.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/letter-of-concern-regarding-the-large-hardon-coll
Tag "science"
What you knew is that Stephen Hawking is a brilliant mind who thinks about science in ways that you can’t begin to comprehend. What you didn’t know is that homeboy is also into girls and champagne.
Hawking’s very simple explanation of time travel…
Read MoreDear Eyjafjallajökull,
Please do not destroy Iceland before I get to go. Just create.
Cheers Brother,
Greg
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Well I’d been fearing Obama’s speech today for quite some time. Ever since word started to trickle out about the President’s plan for the US Space Program, I’d been a little skittish. It didn’t sound good. Today he was in Florida to give a speech outlining his plan for NASA in the coming decades.
I’m quite disappointed in what we got. Obama has canceled the program that would be the Space Shuttle’s replacement. Leaving the United States stranded on Earth without asking for help from Russia for the foreseeable future. That’s not what bothers me. Constellation was supposed to take us back to The Moon as well. And this was where we should have been going. We should be going back to The Moon. By stating that, “We’ve been there before” he’s completely missing the point. Going back to Luna meant setting up a permanent presence there. A presence that would produce incredible science and immeasurable resources for coming generations. All en route to Mars. Not just stopping by again to play in the sand.
Yes, he wants to send us to Mars. But first, he intends to send humans to an asteroid. A mission to an asteroid is worthless except for PR. Robots have worked extraordinarily well for this kind of exploration. We can have men on Mars in the same timeframe he is proposing, even while setting up shop on the Moon first. His plan is a misstep.
Doing a heavy lift rocket for 2015 is a good start, but that’s where it ends. The Constellation Program may have had issues, but I believe it’s aim was true. He should have gotten it back on track instead of killing it. Now we are left with not only starting from scratch, but headed off-course. Not good.
One thing that is encouraging is his support of privatization. If private companies are going to be building the launch vehicles for our space program, I hope those same companies have the wherewithal to sell these spaceships to other private business as well. If Barry is not going to take us to The Moon; then Virgin Galactic, Hilton, McDonald’s, and Starbucks will.
http://www.howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow.com/
Read MoreSo the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) started really smashing things yesterday. My friends and I have been anxiously awaiting this day. Not for the potential life changing discoveries the LHC may provide, but, naturally, for the black hole it’s bound to create that will consume the Earth in a flash of gravity and special effects. Indeed we are still here and all we can really hope for is that the black holes putter out very quickly and don’t suck us all to Geneva. (Not that there’s anything wrong with Geneva, I hear it’s wonderful.) I for one am very excited about this massive experiment. Sure they are looking for the God Particle and a menagerie of other cleverly named designer specks. But I’m really excited for the surprises. What are they going to find that they weren’t looking for? And will it improve the functionality of my microwave or alarm clock? These are exciting times. Go science!
This is really scary and you probably shouldn’t watch it if you have trouble sleeping. Like I did. Super-interesting nonetheless.
It’s ok though. If you do have trouble sleeping after watching the video, you can download the iPhone app, Sleep Cycle. Pretty much the coolest app I’ve so far used and the best 99 pennies I’ve ever spent. Sleep Cycle is an alarm clock on HGH. It stays in bed with you and actually measures how you toss and turn through the night using the iPhone’s accelerometer. These subtle measurements allow the app to determine what sleep phase you are in. “Waking up in the lightest sleep phase feels like waking without an alarm clock – it is a natural way to wake up where you feel rested and relaxed.” So even though you set the alarm for a certain time, it can wake you up at any point during a 30 minute window, according to what phase you are in. After a while, it learns your sleep patterns and displays them in nightly graphs. You can even annoy your friends by posting the graphs to Facebook!
Naturally, I was skeptical at first, but so far this thing works like gangbusters. Since I started using it, I don’t feel groggy during the day and have had more energy than I know what to do with. Don’t know if it’s magic or psychological or if it just works, but color me a believer. Now I can’t wait to go to sleep. Read more about it here and here.
Read MoreHave a look at this most excellent collection of robot and ray gun art. Very nifty.
Click on the picture for more…
I’ve hated New Year’s Eve for as long as I can remember. The entertainment bar is set so high, it’s nearly impossible to reach. I figure if I hate it, I’ll lower expectations and may have a good time. Regardless, I always participate in the spectacle kicking and screaming. Every year it’s a let down.
Well last year started with such promise. With a pizza and a kiss. I was happy. Hopeful. Several years of downers behind me. In the end though, 2009 was more of the same. I’ve spent most of this past year beat down and sullen. I wake up every morning with the exact same images in my head. As if my mind has stopped making new memories. And is haunted by the old ones.
This holiday season was ruined by revelations of far away lands on a commuter train in November. Never mind all of the music and movies throughout the year that either served as reminders of the past or that I avoided as not to be reminded. Long nights, staring at the ceiling. Unable to get a decent night’s sleep. All leading up to this day- January 1, 2010.
Scientists have been able to erase memories in rats. Apparently, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, is not that far off. In that movie, Jim Carrey faced hesitation and regret to the procedure. I don’t know if I’d be that flip-floppy. 3 million girls in this city and I see your face on every other one of them.
This is not just for those lucky rats anymore. Researchers have developed a therapy that, without drugs, can erase certain memories. Will this be covered by my $20 copay or is it going to count as a “specialist”? Either way, hello to a promising 2010.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34370302/ns/health-mental_health/
Read MoreAn animation created for the Museum of Natural History traversing the space between the Dali Lama and the Afterglow. The known universe in a little over six minutes.
In the elevator yesterday, a headline on the video screen caught my eye. Football players are being encouraged to donate their brains to science when they die. In an effort to study head trauma more seriously, Boston University researchers will get an influx of frozen heads in the coming years. The applications for this go far beyond Ochocinco of course. I support this and I’m glad the NFL is doing it, but the bluntness of the headline really made me chuckle. It just conjures up a visual in my mind that you don’t often get from the regular news. Or the elevator for that matter. I dunno.
“Hey guys, when you’re done with it, can you please donate your brain?”
Maybe while they’re researching concussions they can look into what makes football players scream and spaz all the time?
NFL Asks Players to Donate Their Brains For Study
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