Physicist Rhett Allain explains the biomechanics of flight, and why humans (on their own) don’t have what it takes. Via Wired Science | Wired.com.
Science/Nature
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…
Science/Nature
NASA’s Better Days, Our Still-Bright Future
by JOHN ADAMS •
More than a generation ago, NASA saw its greatest triumph, on this day in 1969, when Armstrong set foot on the moon. Even now, it’s a moving scene — There’s superficial reason to be concerned about America’s future in space exploration — these are bleak days for NASA’s human space flight program (now more shell…
Science/Nature
Daily Mail: How men and women really do look at things in a different light
by JOHN ADAMS •
The old advertising adage that ‘sex sells’ may be recognised worldwide, but new research has revealed exactly how men and women are drawn into looking at a sexy ad: A study of where men and women look on a ‘sexy’ advertisement gave a fascinating insight – with men found to be first interested in the…
Science/Nature
Ars Technica: Where’s Tyche, the 10th 9th planet? Getting the full story
by JOHN ADAMS •
The very solid science and technology website has Ars Technica reports on speculation about another planet far from the sun, in the Oort cloud. They consider the speculation, and the quality of information behind the frenzy: On February 14th, the UK’s Daily Mail reported the possible discovery of a planet four times bigger than Jupiter…
Science/Nature
Ultra-Fast Carnivorous Plant
by JOHN ADAMS •
Science/Nature
Amazing Robotic Hummingbird
by JOHN ADAMS •
Science/Nature
360-Degree View of the Sun
by JOHN ADAMS •
Science/Nature, Wisconsin
Snowy Day
by JOHN ADAMS •
The National Weather Service offers statistics to put the present snowstorm into perspective. The current record for a day in February for Madison snowfall is 11.9 inches (on 2.6.2008) and for Milwaukee snowfall it’s 16.7 inches (2.10.1960). We’ll see a great deal of snow over the next day, but there have been snowy days before.…
Cats, Science/Nature
Friday Catblogging: Leopard v. Crocodile
by JOHN ADAMS •
City, Planning, Science/Nature
Whitewater’s Emerald Ash Borer Plan
by JOHN ADAMS •
The City of Whitewater’s municipal administration has offered a plan to combat a small, invasive insect that threatens ash trees. See, Whitewater’s Emerald Ash Borer Plan. Whitewater, Wisconsin proudly bears a designation as a Tree City USA. Having sought the designation, it’s predictable that residents would be proud and concerned over trees in the community.…
City, Science/Nature
The Emerald Ash Borer Plan: Intro
by JOHN ADAMS •
Part of Whitewater’s Common Council meeting tonight concerns a plan to deal with the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an insect that represents a significant threat to ash trees. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I would write, to experts in the field, and see what they thought of the plan that Whitewater has proposed…
Science/Nature
Baby Bats Rescued After Being Orphaned By Australian Flood
by JOHN ADAMS •
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy 130 baby bats orphaned by a flood off the Gold Coast of Australia were saved by the Australian Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Centre in the past weeks…. The babies will be kept hanging on clotheslines or in special intensive care units for…