(21 July 2013) Storm clouds over Southern California. Early morning lightning can be seen as a white blotch just to the right of center. The yellow colored area, beneath the grey clouds, which almost shines because of night lights, is part of the highly populated area of Los Angeles and San Diego.
Science/Nature
Science/Nature
The Mysterious Hurricane at Saturn’s North Pole
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Science/Nature
Permafrost, yes permafrost, in ninety seconds
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
History, Science/Nature
Happy Birthday, Copernicus
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Google celebrates Nicolaus Copernicus’s 540th birthday today with a Google Doodle illustrating the heliocentric universe: Unlike the doodle above, the one on their main search page is animated. They’ve also a link to search for Copernicus’s scientific accomplishments and investigations of the natural order.
Science/Nature
The Dry Ice and Dunes of Mars
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Science/Nature, Technology
Another triumph of Elon Musk’s private SpaceX
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
America’s most extraordinary accomplishments in space lie yet ahead, and private efforts like the ones from SpaceX are among those forthcoming accomplishments. Just one example is SpaceX’s Grasshopper vertical takeoff, vertical landing capability. Step by step, SpaceX has been perfecting VTVL capability for rockets, thereby reducing recovery times, improving recovery safety, and cutting refurbishing costs…
Science/Nature, Technology
NASA uses one spacecraft to photograph another descending toward Mars
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Science/Nature
Curiosity Mars Rover Mission: NASA Live Television on UStream
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Engadget offers the schedule for NASA’s Mars mission: “NASA TV will be broadcasting the event onUstream, offering commentary from the minds behind the rover, as well as audio from mission control. The Curiosity Cam, which runs from 11:30PM until 2:00AM EST and 3:30AM to 4:30AM EST, will offer commentary from the scientists and engineers behind Curiosity,…
Animals, Science/Nature
Can office dogs reduce stress?
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Perhaps they can — According to a preliminary investigation published in March in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Business, employees who bring their dog to the office can cap the amount of stress experienced during the day, and improve job satisfaction for all…. Those who…
Science/Nature
Go Curiosity!
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
NASA’s Administrator, Charles Bolden, has recorded a video for the employees of his agency, encouraging them to share excitement over the Curiosity rover’s upcoming August 2012 landing on Mars. It’s called, ‘Go Curiosity.’ The video announces a press kit available to NASA employees, so that they can talk about the mission with friends and neighbors.…
Science/Nature
NASA Video of the Transit of Venus
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Animals, Science/Nature
So, why can’t humans fly like birds?
by JOHN ADAMS •
Animals, Science/Nature, Wisconsin
Winter bald-eagle-watching events held around state
by JOHN ADAMS •
Well worth watching: Each winter, hundreds of bald eagles congregate along areas of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers where they feed on fish in the open water below dams. Wildlife officials say this is the largest concentration of wintering bald eagles in the lower 48 states, offering some of the best eagle viewing in the…
Government Spending, Planning, Science/Nature
NASA’s Amazing New Rocket to … Somewhere
by JOHN ADAMS •
One sees that NASA has a proposal for a new, powerful rocket. It’s a design that’s impressive, expensive, and oddly aimless. NASA’s problems are the problem of many government plans – the plan offers a Next Big Thing without a clear goal. NASA once built rockets to send Americans to the moon and back; now…