The pick of this weeks news from New Scientist:
Hard up NASA.
As the NASA budget get cut more and more, Michael Griffin (NASA's Chief Administrator) has elected to cut the science budget, rather than those for the ISS or the replacement for the Shuttle. NASA currently gets 0.7% of the total US Federal budget.
Life off Earth.
Margaret Turnbull, of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, has combed a catalogue compiled by the Hipparcos satellite and select those that were more likely to have planets that could support a civilisation as developed as our own.
Turn the computer off, it works better!
OK this doesn't apply to your own household computer, but rather to the latest Quantum Computer. Apparently the machine works best when the photon (used to produce the data) is allowed to "flirt" with the program's components rather than actually pass through it.
Space is running out of space!
Surely not! However the room available in orbit of the Earth is getting smaller and smaller. As we have launched more and more satellites that complete one job the space available has got less and less. The chances of satellite collisions has increased recently and of course the debris that we leave up there is causing more and more problems. A small fleck of paint in orbit could quite easily punch through a sheet of aluminium a cm or so thick.
For those non-Chelsea fans!
In the Soundbites section of New Scientist, Jose Mourinho is quoted as saying "Sometime you see beautiful people with no brains. Sometimes you have ugly people who are intelligent, like scientists." This was whilst explaining that Stamford Bridge is not as bad a pitch as it looks.
A little further away from Physics, and definately for the Adults!
Sex with a partner is 400% better than masturbuation.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Water shortage
You've probabIy heard that the southeast is very short of water but did you know that we have had below arerage rainfall for 13 0ut of the last 15 months. This amounts to 70% of the normal amount 0f rain. The Environment Agency have urged the southeast water boards to enforce a hosepipe ban from March. They are also urging householders to minimise their use of water at home, by taking short showers, sharing baths etc...
This weeks New Scientist also covers the Water Shortage on a global scale. Apparently it takes 11,000 litres of water to produce a quarter pounder and 5000 litres to produce 1 kilo of cheese.
This weeks New Scientist also covers the Water Shortage on a global scale. Apparently it takes 11,000 litres of water to produce a quarter pounder and 5000 litres to produce 1 kilo of cheese.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
When is walking running??
Well in the Olympics running is defined as having both feet off the ground at the same time. It seems that science might have something to say about this issue.
From the January 5th issue of Nature:
"Computer optimisation of a minimal biped model discovers walking and running"
In walking we swing our body over a relatively straight leg each step. When running we bounce off a bent leg between aerial phases. Which we use when seems to depend upon the energy cost - we go for the minimum power option.
Most humans switch to running at circa 2.4 m/s. At higher speeds running exploits a mass spring like mechanism that exchanges kinetic and potential energy. Tendons and ligaments in the leg store elastic energy during the impact part of the stride, and release it through recoil in the next propulsive leg action.
In walking, its mainly gravitational energy and kinetic energy that are interchanged as we rise and fall over the 'inverted pendula' made by the relatively straight legs.
From the January 5th issue of Nature:
"Computer optimisation of a minimal biped model discovers walking and running"
In walking we swing our body over a relatively straight leg each step. When running we bounce off a bent leg between aerial phases. Which we use when seems to depend upon the energy cost - we go for the minimum power option.
Most humans switch to running at circa 2.4 m/s. At higher speeds running exploits a mass spring like mechanism that exchanges kinetic and potential energy. Tendons and ligaments in the leg store elastic energy during the impact part of the stride, and release it through recoil in the next propulsive leg action.
In walking, its mainly gravitational energy and kinetic energy that are interchanged as we rise and fall over the 'inverted pendula' made by the relatively straight legs.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Science News 18/2/06
So it's a few days late but here we go with some choice points from the current issue of New Scientist.
Know When Your Time's Up?
Ever wanted to know how long you had left to enjoy and thrills and spills of life, well according to Sei Lee of the San Fransico Veterans Affairs Medical Center you can. Sie Lee has complied a series of questions that can predict whether someone over 50 is going to die in the next 4 years. However with an 80% accuracy rating do you want to take that risk!
Luck as Good as Skill?
The Olympic Figure Skating judging system is again on thin ice! A study was carried out on the new system and found that luck has a large part to play in the placings. With a computer randomly selecting which 3 of 12 scores to drop, you could be unlucky and see your three highest scores dropped, whilst your opponent drops his 3 lowest scores.
Juicy Gossip.
Apparently we remember juicy gossip about our friends and acquaintances far more readily than other details. A study was carried out by Alex Mesoudi, Andrew Whiten (both of St. Andrews) and Robin Dunbar (University of Liverpool). The study found that information of a gossipy nature was remembered and transmitted in greater quantity and greater accuracy.
Formation of the Man in the Moon.
Ralph von Frese of Ohio State University has come up with a theory as to how the "man in the moon" was formed. It seems that whilst the moon was still geological active asteroids struck the far side and caused the near side of the moon to crack and produce volcanic eruptions. This allowed magma to flood onto the surface and form the eyes, nose and mouth of the man in the moon.
Burrowing Bombs!
It seems that your "safe" bunker will no longer be safe from the Americans (if it ever was). The US Army is developing a bomb that will burrow through solid rock before going off.
Get up and Go!
It seems that producing that last minute coursework might become a whole lot easier if new drugs that help you go without sleep and give you a good night's sleep in just two hours, work.
Take a look at the Cover Story of New Scientist for more details.
From Soundbites
"I don't expect teenagers to become nuns and monks for the duration of their university career, but I would encourage them to be aware of the symptoms." - Linda Glennie, head of research at the UK's Meningitis Research Foundation, on the discovery that intimate kissing can quadruple a young person's risk of contracting meningoccal maningitis.
Know When Your Time's Up?
Ever wanted to know how long you had left to enjoy and thrills and spills of life, well according to Sei Lee of the San Fransico Veterans Affairs Medical Center you can. Sie Lee has complied a series of questions that can predict whether someone over 50 is going to die in the next 4 years. However with an 80% accuracy rating do you want to take that risk!
Luck as Good as Skill?
The Olympic Figure Skating judging system is again on thin ice! A study was carried out on the new system and found that luck has a large part to play in the placings. With a computer randomly selecting which 3 of 12 scores to drop, you could be unlucky and see your three highest scores dropped, whilst your opponent drops his 3 lowest scores.
Juicy Gossip.
Apparently we remember juicy gossip about our friends and acquaintances far more readily than other details. A study was carried out by Alex Mesoudi, Andrew Whiten (both of St. Andrews) and Robin Dunbar (University of Liverpool). The study found that information of a gossipy nature was remembered and transmitted in greater quantity and greater accuracy.
Formation of the Man in the Moon.
Ralph von Frese of Ohio State University has come up with a theory as to how the "man in the moon" was formed. It seems that whilst the moon was still geological active asteroids struck the far side and caused the near side of the moon to crack and produce volcanic eruptions. This allowed magma to flood onto the surface and form the eyes, nose and mouth of the man in the moon.
Burrowing Bombs!
It seems that your "safe" bunker will no longer be safe from the Americans (if it ever was). The US Army is developing a bomb that will burrow through solid rock before going off.
Get up and Go!
It seems that producing that last minute coursework might become a whole lot easier if new drugs that help you go without sleep and give you a good night's sleep in just two hours, work.
Take a look at the Cover Story of New Scientist for more details.
From Soundbites
"I don't expect teenagers to become nuns and monks for the duration of their university career, but I would encourage them to be aware of the symptoms." - Linda Glennie, head of research at the UK's Meningitis Research Foundation, on the discovery that intimate kissing can quadruple a young person's risk of contracting meningoccal maningitis.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Science News 10/2/06
Living in a Black Hole.
Falling into a Black Hole can be a life changing episode, as the change in gravitational forces stretch you out as if you were on a rack. However Scientists have now suggested that you could survive in a 5 Dimensional Black Hole. Apparently the tidal forces inside a 5D Black Hole are very small and would allow you to move around instead of getting pulled apart.
The normal 4 Dimensional Black Hole consists of three dimensions in space (x,y,z) and one dimension of time. What the 5th Dimension is, I leave you to find out.
Tailored shoes.
Ever had a problem with ill-fitting shoes? Well the answer to your problems is on it's way. A new 3D selective laser printer has been developed for various uses and one of these will be the manufactor of tailored shoes. The laser will fuse together particles of a nylon-based material.
Biology more important than Physics.
Apparently last century was the century of Physics, this century is the century of Biology. The measurement for this strange idea is economic, it seems Biology has greater economical consequences than Physics. Although what Chemistry has to say about any of this is left to the reader.
More on these articles and more articles can be found in this weeks issue of New Scientist, available in the school library.
Falling into a Black Hole can be a life changing episode, as the change in gravitational forces stretch you out as if you were on a rack. However Scientists have now suggested that you could survive in a 5 Dimensional Black Hole. Apparently the tidal forces inside a 5D Black Hole are very small and would allow you to move around instead of getting pulled apart.
The normal 4 Dimensional Black Hole consists of three dimensions in space (x,y,z) and one dimension of time. What the 5th Dimension is, I leave you to find out.
Tailored shoes.
Ever had a problem with ill-fitting shoes? Well the answer to your problems is on it's way. A new 3D selective laser printer has been developed for various uses and one of these will be the manufactor of tailored shoes. The laser will fuse together particles of a nylon-based material.
Biology more important than Physics.
Apparently last century was the century of Physics, this century is the century of Biology. The measurement for this strange idea is economic, it seems Biology has greater economical consequences than Physics. Although what Chemistry has to say about any of this is left to the reader.
More on these articles and more articles can be found in this weeks issue of New Scientist, available in the school library.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
NASA Science News for February 8, 2006
If winter Olympic Games were held on the moon, where would they be? The lunar Alps, and you can see them with our own eyes this week. "Lunar Olympics" kicks off a series of articles about the physics of low-gravity sports.
Apparently the Lunar dust is great for skiing, with the low gravity those of you who enjoy Snowboarding are in for a treat.
goto
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/08feb_lunaralps.htm?list783834
If winter Olympic Games were held on the moon, where would they be? The lunar Alps, and you can see them with our own eyes this week. "Lunar Olympics" kicks off a series of articles about the physics of low-gravity sports.
Apparently the Lunar dust is great for skiing, with the low gravity those of you who enjoy Snowboarding are in for a treat.
goto
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/08feb_lunaralps.htm?list783834
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