| science
and technology 9 |
found—the
missing [ginko] link
“Some specimens in Chinese monastery gardens are over three
thousand years old. Others, such as those in Utrecht and Kew Gardens,
are approaching three hundred. Wild specimens are extinct.”
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science200603 |
20.06.2003 |
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comets
graze the sun—rare images from SOHO satellite
“ They belong to the Kreutz family of sun-grazing comets, often
seen by SOHO while diving towards their final rendezvous with the Sun.
But as in humans, twins are rare! Even more so, this pair showed another
very unusual trait: What looks like a faint tail (or "puff of smoke")
can be seen moving away from the Sun, seemingly emanating from a point
in the orbit beyond the comet's closest approach! Normally, sungrazers
simply fade and disappear at an earlier stage, obliterated by the intense
heat and pressure.”
related material
SOlar
and Heliospheric Observatory, part of
NASA
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science190603 |
19.06.2003
related material
SOlar
and Heliospheric Observatory, part of
NASA |
| get
yourself a llama dog
A light item if you are bored.
Llamas guarding sheep against wiley coyote.
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science180603_2 |
18.06.2003 |
extinction
is not for ever—will the tasmanian tiger walk again?
“In Australia, critics say the millions of dollars that the thylacine
project will cost would be better spent trying to save endangered species
and disappearing habitats. One opponent, Tasmanian senator and former
Australia Wilderness Society Director Bob Brown, says people might become
blasé about conservation if they’re lulled into thinking
a lost species can always be resurrected. The research "feeds the
mind-set that science will fix everything," he says. ”
Of course, this comment is complete rubbish—
- doubtless many problems will have to be solved along the way, thus
developing new useful techniques
- humans have choices as to whether to become ‘blasé’.
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science180603 |
18.06.2003 |
| van
gogh painting dated and timed—by astronomy
“Van Gogh painted Moonrise July 13, 1889 at the
Saint-Paul monastery in Saint-Rémy, France. At 9:08 p.m., local
mean time [...]”
—
“In 2003, the Netherlands celebrates the 150th anniversary of
van Gogh’s birth, while at the same time, the progression of 19-year-long
lunar Metonic cycles coincides with that of 1889--meaning
that skywatchers in Saint-Rémy are in for a celestial encore.
“[..] this year on July 13, there will be a nearly full moon
rising in the southeast in the evening twilight, recreating the evening
sky van Gogh saw back on that night in 1889 [...]”
—
“[In the painting, the] moon is shown rising from behind a mountain
range, partially obscured by an unusual overhanging cliff. The painting
also shows an odd double house in the distance, as well a distinctive
T intersection of two walls and in the foreground stacks of harvested
wheat.”
These landmarks enabled the location to be determined. (There is a larger
reproduction at the link provided above.)
A Metonic cycle is a period of 19 years in which
there are 235 lunar cycles, lunations, or synodic months, after which
the Moon's phases recur on the same days of the solar year (year of the
seasons). The cycle was discovered by Meton (fl. 432 BC), an Athenian
astronomer. Computation from modern data shows that 235 lunar cycles are
6,939 days, 16.5 hours; and 19 solar years, 6,939 days, 14.5 hours.
In each solar year (or year of the seasons), there are about 12.37 synodic
months.
[adapted from Enc. Brit.]
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science160603 |
16.06.2003 |
improving
your use of google
page
one page
two
Some of the meta (higher level) facilities available on Google.
Recommended 
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science110603 |
11.06.2003 |
the
steady advance towards useable ray-guns
The
development of lasers for military purposes,
and
a bit more detail here.
And
now the latest released data
“The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory recently produced 10,400 Joules or 10.4 kiloJoules
(kJ) of ultraviolet laser light in a single laser beamline, setting
a world record for laser performance.
“In recent weeks NIF laser scientists also have used the first
four NIF beamlines to set records for infrared and green single beam
laser energies with 21 kJ and 11 kJ of energy delivered, respectively.
NIF researchers focused this light into a special diagnostic system
designed to provide precise measurements of laser beam quality and performance
at these different frequencies.
“The NIF laser system has now demonstrated ultraviolet laser
energy equivalent to 2 million Joules (MJ) in 192 beams. This "full
NIF equivalent" performance exceeds the design requirement of 1.8
MJ specified for NIF.”
—
“NIF also will be used to achieve inertial confinement fusion
ignition with energy gain, which will provide researchers with a better
understanding of the processes that occur in nuclear weapons and will
provide valuable data for future fusion energy power production.”
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science100603_3 |
10.06.2003 |
| understanding
pathogen defence in rice and other cereal sources
“Dean and Pan found 43 different resistance genes on chromosome
10, which contains a total of 3,471 genes, according to the Science
paper.
“"We found a variety of different types of resistance genes;
some were novel and some were well known," Dean says. "The
most interesting thing was that most were grouped in three major clusters
that were quite similar."
“Dean believes this clustering helps rice improve its specificity
of resistance to pathogens. In other words, resistance genes form clusters
and then recombine forces in order to repel specific harmful advances
from pathogens.”
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science100603_2 |
10.06.2003 |
| claim
that cadmium inhibits natural cell repair mechanisms
“[...] reported that cadmium - a naturally occurring metal which
shows up in food, water and cigarette smoke - disturbs a DNA repair
system that is important in preventing cancer. "Unless cadmium
is unique in its mechanism," NIEHS' Dmitry A. Gordenin, Ph.D.,
said, "it would seem that environmental factors may cause genetic
defects and cancer not only by attacking our DNA directly but also by
undermining the mechanisms by which faulty DNA replication is repaired."
Dr. Gordenin is the senior author on the paper which he and his colleagues
report in today's online issue of the journal Nature Genetics."
”
—
“ Dr. Gordenin said, "Cells must duplicate their DNA in order
to increase their numbers enough to replace dying cells. However, in
duplicating the DNA mistakes are made with a frequency that organisms
would not be able to tolerate, if uncorrected. Luckily, most organisms
do correct these mistakes by efficient mechanisms akin to a computer's
'spellcheck.' One of these correctives is post-replication mismatch
repair. Without these corrective mechanisms, mutations would occur and
multiply in cell after cell, which could lead to cancer, reproductive
problems, birth defects or other ills.”
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science100603 |
10.06.2003 |
new
engine design
“The firm is investing several million euros in the project,
and within nine months it hopes to use the Archer-Trice design to produce
an efficient, natural-gas-fuelled generator capable of powering 1,000
homes. As a bonus, the steam from the cooling system can be used to
heat the homes, instead of being wasted. If all goes to plan, ICCU will
be able to set up a network of local generators that will reduce reliance
on large power stations.”
Car engines are approximately 25% efficient, the claim for this engine
is 40% so far.
Aircraft turbines are over 60% efficient.
Associated web
site with much more.
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science070603 |
06.06.2003 |
i’m
not moving—i’m not chasing you for lunch—honest ...
“....the dragonfly achieves motion camouflage by adjusting its
position in order to always occupy the same spot in its prey's retina
- so it looks stationary while it is actually moving.
“Deployment of this sophisticated technique by the oldest airborne
predator tricks the victim's retina into perceiving the stalker as stationary
even while it darts about in pursuit, ....”
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science060603 |
06.06.2003 |
farmer
giles, the robot
“The robot drives across fields scanning the ground for any
weeds and noting their positions. A later version will be able to kill
the weeds too by applying a few drops of herbicide, says developer Svend
Christensen from the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences in Tjele.
“But the longer-term goal is to avoid herbicides altogether by
having the robot pluck the weeds out of the ground rather than poisoning
them.”
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science050603 |
05.06.2003 |
looking
at atoms moves forward
“By crunching numbers on a supercomputer for six months, University
of Utah researchers showed it is possible for an atomic force microscope
to make images of the wing-shaped paths of minuscule electrons as they
orbit atoms.”
—
“Conventional atomic force microscopy sees atoms only as spheres,
so it cannot distinguish elements. Atoms of different elements have
different orbital configurations, so the ability to detect orbitals
might let an atomic force microscope not only distinguish different
chemical elements, but also infer details of chemical bonds between
atoms.”
—
“"The Nobel Prize-winning invention of the scanning tunnelling
microscope (STM) and the atomic force microscope (AFM) have allowed
us to directly see individual atoms on a solid surface," Liu said.
"However, atoms generally appear as a single protrusion or blur
in STM and AFM images because the microscopes can’t resolve the
details of atomic orbitals."”
Item contains and links to illustrative images.
the web address for this article is
https://www.abelard.org/news/science9.htm#science040603 |
04.06.2003 |
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